Has anybody moved to Albuquerque, from the DC area? (condo, crime)

[Akio]

Hello,

I have lived in the DC/suburb area since 1979. I am growing tired of it day by day.

A majority of the people here are unfriendly, rude, and obsessed with what people do for a living. In fact the first question people ask when you meet them is, "so what do you do for a living?"

This area is also crazy expensive. I currently live in a suburb of DC, and it's now outlandish to find a $1 million dollar condo.

I love New Mexico. The people, scenery, food, & laid back attitude. I am curious to hear about people's experiences that have move to Albuquerque from the DC area..

Thanks in advance!

[NMHacker]

Sorry I cannot help. You post did remind me of the one time I visited DC. I was trying to get into a club and when I presented my NM Drivers License I was promptly asked if I had my passport with me.

[Akio]

Originally Posted by NMHacker

Sorry I cannot help. You post did remind me of the one time I visited DC. I was trying to get into a club and when I presented my NM Drivers License I was promptly asked if I had my passport with me.

That is terrible, but I am not surprised. DC (especially the clubs), can be very cliquish. If you don't know somebody that works at a club, or don't have that certain look..they won't let you in OR they will charge you an arm and a leg. I've never had to pay to get in, but I stopped going because I can't stand that type of thing...

[Burquebinder]

I'm not originally from DC, but I did live in DC before coming to New Mexico. The differences are pretty extreme, and the positives of living in DC are very different from the positives of living in Albuquerque, as I'm sure you've figured out.

Albuquerque is considerably cheaper, friendlier, and more laid-back. The weather is pretty darn good (though this year is has been way too dry), and even though temperatures are pretty close to what you get in DC year-round, you don't get any humidity. Scenery here in NM is spectacular, and if you crave outdoors activities, wide-open spaces, and amazing daytrips - than you'll find ABQ has it all over any city in the east in those categories.

However, there are advantages to DC that I miss. I miss being able to take public transit and walk everywhere. I miss the beautiful greenery, and the rowhouse architecture. I miss being able to take to the train to other major cities for a weekend (like NY). DC has more food options for the obvious fact that it is a much larger city. While there are dozens of options for walkable neighborhoods in DC, you'll really find only a couple of neighborhoods in ABQ with close to as much convenience.

Though I miss these aspects, I pretty easily would choose ABQ again if I had to do it all over - for many of the same reasons you mention. ABQ is a pretty unique and special place, despite the shortcomings. Part of the fun of ABQ is that you would be living in a town that is still trying to figure out what it wants to become as it grows and matures - and you can be an integral part of the process here pretty easily...

[Akio]

Hello,

Thank you for your input. I definitely do crave outdoor activities. I am outside as much as possible..walking, hiking etc. I found that while I was in NM, I not only enjoyed the outdoor activities, but the views as well!! I would actually catch myself smiling like crazy, wherever I went Here, I find myself frowning. My son and I also love to explore and try new things.

While I love the trees here, I guess I am just drawn to the beauty of the desert. I love being able to drive/walk through it and not see another living soul. Don't get me wrong, DC does have some nice scenery!! I guess (sadly enough), I have seen it all of my life and am just used to it. My appreciation for it has somewhat diminished.

You mentioned the food..Now THAT is something I would definitely miss. I am a stone's throw away from some great food..Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Ethiopian, Japanese, Malaysian, Italian, Spanish tapas etc..!! I am definitely a foodie, so I'm sure if I ever end up moving to Albuquerque, that would be a difficult adjustment.

I guess one of the things I worry about is the education. We have some of the best Public Schools in the country, where we live. But then I think, my son has gone to a "great" school and had bad teachers..Isn't it possible for him to go to a not so great school, that has a great teacher? I guess I am just trying to stay positive. I also worry about the job situation. The crime doesn't worry me too much surprisingly. When I was in high school, we had fights everyday. One of the teacher's even got stabbed. And here, I was told by a fellow neighbor who is a cop, there is a lot of MS-13 gang activity. He said he has even found bodies in a nearby park!!

Where did you live in DC when you were here? I have live in Mount Pleasant, Adam's Morgan, and right off Connecticut by UDC.

[ay jayy]

I lived in the MD suburbs(Rockville) before moving to downtown ABQ in April of 2010. The two areas could not be more different. In my opinion once you get used to the differences and find your niche, ABQ is a much better place to live.

The weather is so much better in NM. Which is great because there are a ton of things to see and do outside. The DC Area has about 4 nice weeks in spring, and 6 nice weeks in the fall. The Heat in NM is much more tolerable. You can eat dinner outside without sweating or being attacked by mosquitoes. This past winter was pretty mild with the exception of one ridiculously cold week. Other than that I was doing outdoor day-trips on the weekends in January which is pretty awesome, and by late Feb it was already warming up.

Food is an adjustment. But you can still find pretty much anything, you just wont have as many options as in DC.

Traffic is a dream compared to DC

The only downside is if you like city-living, ABQ isnt exactly vibrant. A lot of places downtown are closed in the evening and on weekends. But the good news is the places that are open all the time happen to be my favorites. Though you will still probably have to drive to get groceries and other staples.

Traffic is a dream compared to DC.

I dont have kids, so i cant comment on education, I havent had any issues with crime, and I came here because of a job so I cant comment on that either.

[Akio]

Originally Posted by ay jayy

I lived in the MD suburbs(Rockville) before moving to downtown ABQ in April of 2010. The two areas could not be more different. In my opinion once you get used to the differences and find your niche, ABQ is a much better place to live.

The weather is so much better in NM. Which is great because there are a ton of things to see and do outside. The DC Area has about 4 nice weeks in spring, and 6 nice weeks in the fall. The Heat in NM is much more tolerable. You can eat dinner outside without sweating or being attacked by mosquitoes. This past winter was pretty mild with the exception of one ridiculously cold week. Other than that I was doing outdoor day-trips on the weekends in January which is pretty awesome, and by late Feb it was already warming up.

Food is an adjustment. But you can still find pretty much anything, you just wont have as many options as in DC.

Traffic is a dream compared to DC

The only downside is if you like city-living, ABQ isnt exactly vibrant. A lot of places downtown are closed in the evening and on weekends. But the good news is the places that are open all the time happen to be my favorites. Though you will still probably have to drive to get groceries and other staples.

Traffic is a dream compared to DC.

I dont have kids, so i cant comment on education, I havent had any issues with crime, and I came here because of a job so I cant comment on that either.

Rockville is where I live..right off of "The Pike." The traffic and humidity here IS horrible..no doubt. How long were you in Rockville for? What part of Albuquerque did you move to? How long did it take you to find a job?

Your post has given me a lot to think about. Especially since you know exactly what it's like to live here..

[ay jayy]

I lived in Rockville for about 3 years, though I have spent most of my life living in various places around Montgomery County.

I moved to downtown abq...I had a job before i got here, as an IT contractor for the fed govt. Sadly my contract is up at the end of september and I may have to leave if it is not renewed.

[Foxygirl12]

Hi,
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and lived in MD near DC (Oxon Hill, Waldorf, Rockville and New Market) for 21 yrs before moving to ABQ a little over a year ago. I was attracted to NM for all the same reasons you are and let me tell you, it has been a huge adjustment! I like it here and would do it again, but be prepared. Like the previous posters have said, there is a huge difference between the East coast and NM. I thought I was prepared for the obvious differences, and to an extent I was, but it still takes time to adjust. I was caught off guard by the little things that I took for granted back East that are different here. For example, in all of my travelling in MD or up and down the East coast, I never once gave any thought to whether I could get gas for my car whenever I needed it. I mean, there are gas stations EVERYWHERE over there. Well, in NM, if you travel from point A to point B out side of the city, you'd better make sure you have enough gas to get you to point B or know where you'll be able to refuel, 'cause you might get stuck in the middle of nowhere with no gas.

[Akio]

Originally Posted by Foxygirl12

Hi,
I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and lived in MD near DC (Oxon Hill, Waldorf, Rockville and New Market) for 21 yrs before moving to ABQ a little over a year ago. I was attracted to NM for all the same reasons you are and let me tell you, it has been a huge adjustment! I like it here and would do it again, but be prepared. Like the previous posters have said, there is a huge difference between the East coast and NM. I thought I was prepared for the obvious differences, and to an extent I was, but it still takes time to adjust. I was caught off guard by the little things that I took for granted back East that are different here. For example, in all of my travelling in MD or up and down the East coast, I never once gave any thought to whether I could get gas for my car whenever I needed it. I mean, there are gas stations EVERYWHERE over there. Well, in NM, if you travel from point A to point B out side of the city, you'd better make sure you have enough gas to get you to point B or know where you'll be able to refuel, 'cause you might get stuck in the middle of nowhere with no gas.

Hi there,

It's funny that you mentioned the gas..That is one of the first things that crossed my mind when I was in NM. I can think of 2 stations seconds from my place. Then there are about 5+ stations within minutes.

Besides the gas issue, what else did you have to adjust to? What area of ALbuquerque do you live in?